POLICE WEBSITE LISTS GUELPH GROW OPS

GUELPH - Guelph police say a web page that lists former marijuana
grow operations in the city is a tool to help the public become more
aware of a widespread problem.

"It's a proactive way to keep our citizens informed of where this
activity has been happening in Guelph, and to help ensure that the
unsuspecting citizen . . . is not buying one of these places that
has been used as a grow operation," Chief Rob Davis said.

Guelph police launched the web page this summer. The link can be
found on the community relations page at www.police.guelph.on.ca.

The list includes 22 addresses where police found grow ops between
February 2002 and July of this year, and the number of plants seized at each.

Ontario's assistant information and privacy commissioner decided in
February that York Regional Police were obliged to disclose former
grow-op locations after a freedom of information request from the news media.

The London Police Service had already publicized grow-op addresses.
Waterloo regional police do not have a similar web page.

Grow operations can lead to health hazards, particularly mould and
faulty electrical systems, said Guelph police spokesperson Sgt. Dave Elloway.

But one sociology professor from the University of Guelph said the
list could have a negative effect on the neighbourhoods where grow
ops have been discovered.

Patrick Parnaby said American research about sharing crime location
data over the Internet has raised concerns about "spatial labelling."

"Once residents label a street or neighbourhood as being problematic
. . . the implications can be -- although, are not always -- unfortunate."

* Guelph Mercury